One of the most delicious yet controversial French delicacies is foie gras.  This dish is made from fattened goose or duck liver.  The extra fat produced by the liver gives the meat a smooth, buttery texture that creates the indulgent taste of foie gras.  It is a very different flavor from your normal duck or goose meat.  Foie gras is sold whole and it is also made into mousse, parfait and pate.

 

In order to fatten the bird livers, foie gras producers use a technique called gavage.  It is thought that gavage has its origins with the ancient Egyptians as far back as 2500 BC.  Basically, in order to enlarge and fatten the liver, the birds are force-fed through a tube that goes right down their esophagus.  The process begins between 12-18 days before the animal is slaughtered and corn mash is the most often used food to enhance the liver fattening.

 

As you can imagine, the gavage procedure is the controversial part of foie gras.  Though the end product is delicious and no one can complain about that, the means to the end has generated bans on foie gras and gavage throughout some countries in Europe and the Middle East.  The producers of foie gras maintain that it is not unhealthy for the birds, nor is it uncomfortable for them while they are being force-fed.

 

For those who enjoy the flavor and texture of foie gras, but have concerns about gavage, there are alternative methods of harvesting a fatty goose liver.  In the wintertime, geese and duck livers naturally fatten to protect against the harsh weather.  If the animal is slaughtered at this time, the naturally fattened liver can be harvested and used for foie gras dishes.  However, many foie gras purists claim that this method does not deliver a product of the same quality.

 

Since both goose and duck foie gras is so fatty, it is usually prepared on low heat so that the fat doesn't totally melt.  This slow cooking method is most commonly used to make popular foie gras dishes like terrines, parfaits, foams, mousses and pâtés.  In the case of these dishes, after the foie gras is prepared it is served at or below room temperature.  Foie gras is sometimes served cru au sel, which means that the liver is raw, crusted with salt and served chilled.  For an even more interesting presentation, foie gras is sometimes made into a savory ice cream and served coated with coarse salt.

 

Traditional French recipes call for the foie gras to be served cold, but with the popularity of the dish around the world, recipes for hot preparations have become popular.  For these recipes, duck liver is better because it has a lower fat content than goose liver.  In order to properly sautee, sear, roast or grill foie gras, a chef needs to pay careful attention to his project.  It will burn or melt very easily because of the high fat content so it has to be in touch with the heat for a very short time. 

 

Whether it is served hot or cold, foie gras is considered a delicacy all over the world.  Sometimes foie gras is served very simply and may only be seasoned with salt.  In more complex dishes, it can be flavored by prunes, truffles or different liquors like Cointreau or Armaganac.  Often it is served with sweet fruit like pears, apples, plums, cherries, raspberries, black currants or figs.  The combinations and possible recipes for foie gras are endless and chefs around the world continue to experiment with new ways to serve and present this traditional French delicacy.